The Reality about the Curriculum Control and its Management in the South African Context

Abstract

Curriculum used to be protected and be given the respect it deserves. It was regarded as a special place to be visited only by the professionals and the elite. However, things have changed with changing times, the very “secret garden” has been invaded by diverse pressure groups including politicians, the private sector and lay men. This paper analyses and presents the findings of a qualitative study that was conducted in the North-West Province (South Africa) to seek experiences and perceptions from purposively selected educational professionals, politicians, the religious group and the private sector representatives regarding their views concerning the “debate’ over the curriculum control and its management. Questionnaires, interviews, observation, reflective journals and official documents were used to collect data .Qualitative data was analyzed using critical discourse analysis strategy. The findings revealed that each and every stakeholder feels ownership of the curriculum, politicians feel strongly that their involvement in curriculum control would ensure the relevance of the curriculum and that the needs of the clients are met. They further argue that the declining economy needs a purpose-focused curriculum. Thus, they have to account for tax payers` monies used to fund educational projects. On the other hand; the professionals argue that they have rights to exercise control over the curriculum because of their teaching experience and specialized knowledge. The private sector believes that the education sector must produce people who must ultimately work in the private sector. They further argue that the private sector even financed some projects in higher education. Therefore, they insist to have a say over the curriculum control. The study recommended a collaborative model that would accommodate all legitimate stakeholders to participate in curriculum design, implementation, evaluation and management.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p435